Genesis 4
Berean Standard Bible · Compare translations · Beginnings · Tap a verse to copy, share or highlight ·
26 verses · 611 words · ~3 min read · ~4 min listen
Cain and Abel
1And Adam had relations with his wife Eve, and she conceived and gave birth to Cain.
“With the help of the LordI have brought forth a man,” she said.
2Later she gave birth to Cainʼs brother Abel.
Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, while Cain was a tiller of the soil. 3So in the course of time, Cain brought some of the fruit of the soil as an offering to the Lord, 4while Abel brought the best portions of the firstborn of his flock.
And the Lordlooked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5but He had no regard for Cain and his offering. So Cain became very angry, and his countenance fell.
6“Why are you angry,” said the Lordto Cain, “and why has your countenance fallen? 7If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you refuse to do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires you, but you must master it.”
8Then Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let us go out to the field.” And while they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.
9And the Lordsaid to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?”
“I do not know!” he answered. “Am I my brotherʼs keeper?”
10“What have you done?” replied the Lord. “The voice of your brotherʼs blood cries out to Me from the ground. 11Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brotherʼs blood from your hand. 12When you till the ground, it will no longer yield its produce to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth.”
13But Cain said to the Lord, “My punishment is greater than I can bear. 14Behold, this day You have driven me from the face of the earth, and from Your face I will be hidden; I will be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth, and whoever finds me will kill me.”
15“Not so!” replied the Lord. “If anyone slays Cain, then Cain will be avenged sevenfold.” And the Lordplaced a mark on Cain, so that no one who found him would kill him.
16So Cain went out from the presence of the Lordand settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.
The Descendants of Cain
17And Cain had relations with his wife, and she conceived and gave birth to Enoch. Then Cain built a city and named it after his son Enoch.
18Now to Enoch was born Irad, and Irad was the father of Mehujael, and Mehujael was the father of Methusael, and Methusael was the father of Lamech. 19And Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah.
20Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who dwell in tents and raise livestock. 21And his brotherʼs name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute.
22And Zillah gave birth to Tubal-cain, a forger of every implement of bronze and iron. And the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah.
23Then Lamech said to his wives:
Seth and Enosh
25And Adam again had relations with his wife, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another seed in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.”
26And to Seth also a son was born, and he called him Enosh.
At that time men began to call upon the name of the Lord.
Footnotes (9)
- a v1 Cain sounds like the Hebrew for acquired or brought forth.
- b v7 Or it desires to control you
- c v8 SP, LXX, Syriac, and Vulgate; Hebrew Then Cain spoke to his brother Abel.
- d v13 Or guilt or sin
- e v15 LXX, Vulgate, and Syriac; Hebrew “Very well!” or “Therefore:”
- f v16 Nod means wandering.
- g v24 Hebrew; LXX can be translated as either seventy times seven or seventy-sevenfold; see also Matthew 18:22.
- h v25 Seth probably means granted or appointed.
- i v26 Or to proclaim; some translators to invoke or to call themselves by or to profane